Pubdate: Fri, 13 Jul 2007
Source: Worcester Telegram & Gazette (MA)
Copyright: 2007 Worcester Telegram & Gazette
Contact:  http://www.telegram.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/509
Note: Rarely prints LTEs from outside circulation area - requires 
'Letter to the Editor' in subject
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/topics/Bong+Hits+4+Jesus (Bong Hits 4 Jesus)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?225 (Students - United States)
Author: Robert Sharpe

COURT DECISION ON STUDENT FREE SPEECH WRONG

The Supreme Court should take a cue from the nonsensical banner that 
inspired their recent decision limiting student free speech. It might 
do them some good to take a few "bong hits 4 Jesus." Before 
sacrificing any more civil liberties at the altar of the drug war, 
they should ask themselves, what would Jesus do? Would Jesus 
persecute, incarcerate and deny forgiveness to nonviolent drug 
offenders? Zero tolerance is decidedly un-Christian. Morally, the 
drug war is wrong. On a practical level, the drug war is a complete failure.

There were 786,545 marijuana arrests in 2005, the vast majority for 
simple possession. America is one of the few Western countries that 
punishes citizens who prefer marijuana to martinis, yet lifetime use 
of marijuana is higher in the United States than any European 
country. Thanks to the war on some drugs, the land of the free now 
has the highest incarceration rate in the world. Yet the drug war has 
failed to keep drugs out of prisons, much less schools. This is not a 
policy worthy of constitutional exemptions. The Supreme Court should 
prioritize protecting civil liberties over perpetuating a drug war.

ROBERT SHARPE

Policy Analyst Common Sense for Drug Policy Washington, D.C.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom